Barden hauls in season's first catch

GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.

BARDEN HAULS IN SEASON'S FIRST CATCH

In the New York Giants' 34-10 thumping of the Houston Texans on Sunday, Flintridge Prep graduate Ramses Barden hauled in his first catch of his second NFL season.

Barden grabbed an eight-yard pass from quarterback Eli Manning in the first quarter of the win. However, it was his only catch of the game. It's still a good sign compared to his rookie season, when the former News-Press Athlete of the Year caught his first and only pass in the final week of the season.

Nevertheless, Barden is once more struggling to get playing time with the Giants (3-2).

The Giants, who will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday, have seen the likes of Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Steve Smith excel in the receiving corps.

And Barden has been left out of the rotation, having played in just two of his team's five games this year, with his first game action coming in a season-opening win against the Carolina Panthers. He produced no statistics in the game.

During the four-game preseason, he played in just two games, tallying three catches for 21 yards.

REID PLANS TO STICK WITH VICK

Though quarterback Michael Vick didn't compete in the Philadelphia Eagles' 27-24 road victory against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night because of an injury, Philadelphia Coach Andy Reid, a former Glendale Community College football player, said after the game that Vick would remain the starting signal-caller.

Vick missed the game after suffering an injury to his rib cartilage on Oct. 3 during a home game against the Washington Redskins and didn't return. He was replaced by Kevin Kolb, who began the season as the starter before suffering a concussion in the first game against the Green Bay Packers.

On Sunday, Kolb completed 21 of 31 passes for 253 and a touchdown to help the Eagles improve to 3-2 entering next Sunday's game against the visiting Atlanta Falcons. He didn't throw an interception.

PUNISHER BACK IN ACTION

Undefeated Glendale boxing prospect Artur "The Punisher" Bernetsyan is scheduled to return to the ring on Saturday in Las Vegas.

As part of a Roy Englebrecht Promotions card at the Silverton Casino and Lodge, Bernetsyan will take on Rynell Griffin.

Bernetsyan, a super featherweight who trains under Edmond Tarverdyan at Glendale Fighting Club, is 4-0 with two knockouts. All of his professional fights have come within the calendar year, his last a unanimous decision win over Ramon Flores on June 12 in Hollywood.

Griffin (6-2-1, two KOs) has lost two of his last three, including a September majority decision defeat in Las Vegas. His last win, however, was a first-round technical knockout of a then-4-0-1 Arquimendez Garcia in November of last year.

QB CLUB TO HOLD MEETING

The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club will conduct its fifth meeting at 11:30 a.m. today at The Elk's Lodge, 120 E. Colorado St., Glendale.

The club, which is in its 68th year, is geared to support the Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Hoover and St. Francis high football teams and the Glendale Community College football program.

USC radio announcer Pete Arbogast and UCLA radio announcer Chris Roberts will be the guest speakers.